Burial-casket



( o Model.)

W HAMILTON,

BURIAL GASKET.

Patented Mar. 16

WITNESSES INVENTOR c. m: nunms PETERS co, mo'ramna. wasumm'nn. u

IVILLIAM HAMILTON, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BURlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,091, dated March16, 1897. Application filed October 80,1896. Serial No. 610,570. (Nomodeli) tion a burial-casket constructed in accord ance withmyinvention. Fig. 2 is aplan view thereof with the lid partly brokenaway and with one of the end panels removed. Fig. 3 is an end view ofthe casket shown in Fig. 2 with the couch removed, and Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the couch.

My invention consists in a burial-casket having a removable rigid couchshaped and upholstered in the manner of the body of a sofa or lounge andwithout side boards.

In the management of funerals the body of the deceased may be laid uponthe couch and the couch supported on a suitable stand until it isdesired to make immediate preparation fol-the burial, at which time thecasket proper may be brought into the room and the couch carrying thebody placed within the casket. In this way thecasket itself is kept outof view as long as possible. The importance of this in sparing thefeelings of friends of the deceased person will readily be appreciated.

In the drawings, 2 represents the main portion of the casket proper,having side and end panels and a lid 3. As shown in the drawings, one ofthe end panels 4 is removable,

being adapted to slide vertically in grooves 5, or otherwise to bedetachably connected to the casket. Either of the end panels may be thuscapable of being opened, or one of the side panels may be made to openfor a like purpose, or, within the scope of my invent-ion, broadlystated, the couch may be adapted to be inserted at the top of thecasket, the lid being made removable for that purpose.

6 is the couch suitably upholstered and made with a rigid frame in theform of the bed of an ordinary sofa without side boards or end boards.Before the body is to be placed in the casket the couch is set upon asupporting frame or leg 7, as shown in Fig. 4, and the body is laidthereon. The couch is allowed to rest on the frame 7 until the time forthe burial, when it is lifted with the body, pushed endwise into thecasket 2 through the open end thereof, and the end panel 4 thenreplaced,whereupon the lid,if removable, may be closed.

\Vithin the scope of the invention as de fined in the claim theimprovement may be modified in various ways.

I claim- A burial-casket having a removable rigid couch, shaped an dupholstered in the manner of the body of a sofa or lounge, and withoutside boards.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WM. HAMILTON. YVitnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, WM. D. HAMILTON.

